Hello fellow Rotarians.
On February 23, 1905, the very first Rotary meeting was organized by Paul Harris, Gustavus Loehr, Silvester Schiele, and Hiram Shorey, who gathered at Loehr’s office in Room 711 of the Unity Building in downtown Chicago. Paul Harris, an attorney, wanted to create a professional group with the same friendly spirit he felt in the small towns of his youth. They decided to call the new club “Rotary” after the practice of rotating meeting locations. The name Rotary International was adopted in 1922. The February 23 anniversary is now known as “Rotary World Peace and Understanding Day.”
One way our club can promote this goal is to become involved in Peace Fellowships. Through academic training, practice, and global networking opportunities, the Rotary Peace Centers program develops the fellows into experienced and effective catalysts for peace. The fellowships cover tuition and fees, room and board, round-trip transportation, and all internship and field-study expenses. In just over a decade, the Rotary Peace Centers have trained more than 1,200 fellows. Many of them now serve as leaders at international organizations or have started their own foundations.
Each year, The Rotary Foundation awards up to 50 fellowships for master’s degrees and 50 for certificate studies at premier universities:
- Master’s degree programs: Accepted candidates study peace and development issues with research-informed teaching and a diverse student body. The program lasts 15 to 24 months and includes a 2-3 month field study, which participants design themselves.
- Professional development certificate program: Experienced leaders gain practical tools for promoting peace and international development during an intensive, 3-month program, which includes 3 weeks of field study and peer learning opportunities with a diverse group.
I believe that our club has already been involved with other clubs to send one such person to South Africa.